# Why am I not hungry? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 3, 2016, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-not-hungry/756365 "2016-06-03T08:58:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![emily2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9fc29f/32.png) [@emily2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emily2000)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2016, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-not-hungry/756365/1 "2016-06-03T08:58:02Z")
I haven’t been properly hungry for nearly 3 weeks, and I keep forgetting food even exists. For instance, I’ll go through most the day without food and realise about 6 o’clock that I haven’t eaten anything and it doesn’t even bother me. My mum will make me food around 7 and I’ll eat a bit of it and get full. During the day my stomach makes noises like I’m hungry but the thought of eating any food makes me feel sick. I don’t think I’ve lost any weight. The past few days I have been feeling a bit hungry but I have no energy to make anything or even order a takeaway. I’ve been feeling really sluggish, sleeping a ton and struggling to even get out of bed. Also I keep having really bad headaches and couldn’t get to sleep because I kept getting warm and then cold and was gipping for 30 mins this morning but no sick came out. I’m halfway through my GCSES and this is affecting my revision, I don’t know if this is being caused by stress but I just want it to stop. I’ve been feeling a bit hungrier the past couple of days but I’m not wanting to eat cos I’m afraid I’ll get fatter, like yesterday I didn’t eat anything at all. I’ve always been self conscious about my body but I don’t think that’s anything to worry about. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2016, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-not-hungry/756365/2 "2016-06-03T10:37:01Z")
See a doctor! ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2016, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-not-hungry/756365/3 "2016-06-03T11:25:02Z")
Moving from General Questions to IMHO where you can get opinions which may or may not contain factual information. **samclem** , moderator ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2016, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-not-hungry/756365/4 "2016-06-03T12:34:58Z")
> [@emily2000](#): > > I haven’t been properly hungry for nearly 3 weeks, and I keep forgetting food even exists. For instance, I’ll go through most the day without food and realise about 6 o’clock that I haven’t eaten anything and it doesn’t even bother me. My mum will make me food around 7 and I’ll eat a bit of it and get full. During the day my stomach makes noises like I’m hungry but the thought of eating any food makes me feel sick. I don’t think I’ve lost any weight. > > The past few days I have been feeling a bit hungry but I have no energy to make anything or even order a takeaway. I’ve been feeling really sluggish, sleeping a ton and struggling to even get out of bed. Also I keep having really bad headaches and couldn’t get to sleep because I kept getting warm and then cold and was gipping for 30 mins this morning but no sick came out. I’m halfway through my GCSES and this is affecting my revision, I don’t know if this is being caused by stress but I just want it to stop. > > I’ve been feeling a bit hungrier the past couple of days but I’m not wanting to eat cos I’m afraid I’ll get fatter, like yesterday I didn’t eat anything at all. I’ve always been self conscious about my body but I don’t think that’s anything to worry about. Golly! :eek: What an important problem and how wonderful that you picked a board full of total strangers–a non-medical message board too–to post about this! I suggest it might be a tapeworm! And maybe the tapeworm is stressed out and is sending out stress-hormones into your system! So my suggestion (and I am not a doctor!) is that you eat lots and lots of food. Ice Cream Sundaes, and fried chicken and stuff. That will make your tapeworm happy 🙂 and it’ll stop sending out stress hormones. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2016, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-not-hungry/756365/5 "2016-06-03T14:51:56Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > Moving from General Questions to IMHO where you can get opinions which may or may not contain factual information. > > **samclem** , moderator 🙂 I also vote for seeing a physician. ---
**Author:** ![quiltguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e47774/32.png) [@quiltguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quiltguy)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2016, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-not-hungry/756365/6 "2016-06-03T15:43:17Z")
Is pregnancy a possibility? But yeah, do see a physician. ---
**Author:** ![CheshireKat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheshirekat/32/1207_2.png) [@CheshireKat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CheshireKat)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2016, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-not-hungry/756365/7 "2016-06-03T15:50:39Z")
> [@Fenris](#): > > Golly! :eek: What an important problem and how wonderful that you picked a board full of total strangers–a non-medical message board too–to post about this! > > I suggest it might be a tapeworm! And maybe the tapeworm is stressed out and is sending out stress-hormones into your system! > > So my suggestion (and I am not a doctor!) is that you eat lots and lots of food. Ice Cream Sundaes, and fried chicken and stuff. That will make your tapeworm happy 🙂 and it’ll stop sending out stress hormones. Or if you want to get rid of it, take a [milk bath](http://www.grandmas-wisdom.com/tapeworm.html). ---
**Author:** ![emily2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9fc29f/32.png) [@emily2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emily2000)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2016, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-not-hungry/756365/8 "2016-06-03T19:34:34Z")
> [@quiltguy](#): > > Is pregnancy a possibility? But yeah, do see a physician. I’m on the pill so I can’t be pregnant ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2016, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-not-hungry/756365/9 "2016-06-03T19:47:49Z")
Perhaps it’s lupus? ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2016, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-not-hungry/756365/10 "2016-06-03T19:52:13Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Perhaps it’s lupus? It’s not lupus. It’s never lupus. OP, seek professional medical advice, and be scrupulously honest while doing it, because what you describe strikes me (not a doctor, just an old dude) as highly unlikely. Your body needs _x_ calories a day to live. If you don’t take that much in, you will lose weight. Period. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2016, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-not-hungry/756365/11 "2016-06-03T19:52:29Z")
So the zombie apocalypse begins. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2016, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-not-hungry/756365/12 "2016-06-03T19:55:52Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > OP, seek professional medical advice, and be scrupulously honest while doing it, because what you describe strikes me (not a doctor, just an old dude) as highly unlikely. > > Your body needs _x_ calories a day to live. If you don’t take that much in, you will lose weight. Period. In another thread, someone pointed out that people under-report or don’t remember how much and what they eat. So while the OP claims “I didn’t eat anything all day”, if you followed her around, you’d probably find that she is, in fact, eating stuff throughout the day, even if she never sits down for a proper meal. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2016, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-not-hungry/756365/13 "2016-06-03T20:36:26Z")
You’re feeling sluggish because you aren’t eating. The headaches could be a sign of dehydration. When’s your appointment with the doctor? ---
**Author:** ![emily2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9fc29f/32.png) [@emily2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emily2000)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2016, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-not-hungry/756365/14 "2016-06-03T23:34:51Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > You’re feeling sluggish because you aren’t eating. The headaches could be a sign of dehydration. > > When’s your appointment with the doctor? I’ll make one for next week ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2016, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-not-hungry/756365/15 "2016-06-04T02:10:39Z")
If you’re not gonna eat that, can I have it? ---
**Author:** ![yo\_han\_go](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yo_han_go/32/130_2.png) [@yo\_han\_go](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yo_han_go)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2016, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-not-hungry/756365/16 "2016-06-04T11:08:55Z")
Well, I have same problem, but at least I know why. I’m on some serious medications and hunger loss is listed among side effects. You maybe taking some new drugs? ---
**Author:** ![tadtooornamental](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@tadtooornamental](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tadtooornamental)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2016, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-not-hungry/756365/17 "2016-06-05T03:12:47Z")
> [@emily2000](#): > > I’m on the pill so I can’t be pregnant Are you sexually active? Because being on the Pill doesn’t mean you “can’t” be pregnant. It means you shouldn’t be and are less likely to be pregnant, but if you’re having sex, you still can be. See a doctor. Also, see a mental health professional. That last line about not wanting to get fatter after not having eaten a sustainable amount of calories in the previous three weeks sounds like the beginnings of an eating disorder. At the very least, it’s an unhealthy relationship with food. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2016, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-not-hungry/756365/18 "2016-06-05T03:58:18Z")
It’s a problem most people, myself included, would be thrilled to have. But if you feel you absolutely must “treat” it, marijuana is pretty great for that. ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2016, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-not-hungry/756365/19 "2016-06-05T15:57:51Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > It’s a problem most people, myself included, would be thrilled to have. But if you feel you absolutely must “treat” it, marijuana is pretty great for that. Not me because I’ve already been there. I had cancer and couldn’t eat for a couple months. Food nauseated me. What a relief to be able to eat again. I’d much rather be healthy and able to get the nutrition my body needs. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2016, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-not-hungry/756365/20 "2016-06-05T17:31:41Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > It’s a problem most people, myself included, would be thrilled to have. But if you feel you absolutely must “treat” it, marijuana is pretty great for that. I opened this thread because I, too, have massive appetite problems … And I’d like to remind everyone here that EVERYONE wishes they had someone else’s problems. Not eating, or not wanting food, is no joke. OP, my armchair diagnosis from over here is depression, but I’d echo the others about seeing a medical professional. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-not-hungry/756365.md?page=2)